Tying Labors
Land of Peace Feet slided across the sand, carrying some of it due to their bulk, pale met mustard. Cape almost touched by the sand, it fluttered along some of the ocean's breezes, pertaining to a man. With just a few steps, he already neared the end of the sand hurst, the path taken completely tarnished by his walking. However, one by one, the sand particles moved inwards, falling back into their previous position. The sand looked as if he hadn't even been there. Regin's face bore no particular expression, his plump lips shut tight and his eyes blinking every often, many people stood by the beach, either playing some volleyball, building sand castles, or even just relaxing. All in all, it seemed to be a pretty usual day at the land of Asha, it was in one of its many seasons, this time being of Summer for most of the island. It had been a while since anything remotely different even happened, Ferrothorn Braxton's image flashed through his thoughts. Even the newspaper about Permis hadn't shook things around then, but to think Damon was... Another hot breeze hit Regin's frame, he pursed his lips in an attempt to wet them, his eyes instantly hovered one of the many Kiosks. He shouldn't let his mind think on Damon too much. Steadily approaching a woman behind the balcony, Regin greeted her, "Good morning! Would you have some lemonade?!" He looked for a tag in her clothes, "Mina!" Mina smiled, "Right away, Regin-san," And went further into the Kiosk. About a minute later, she handed him a glass with ice and lemonade, "Here is your order." "Thankschu~" Regin clapped his hands and moved his right hand to cup the glass. Ah, the wonders of living such a tranquil life, after so many enemies and pirates that were driven off the island. Regin smiled and rose the glass. A carn horn sounded in the beach, "PAHPAHPAHPAH! PAHRAHRAHRAHPAH!" Regin's expression widened and his hand closed tightly, spilling the drink on it and the ground. What kind of hornet was even that?! In front of the Kiosk stood some sort of scooter and sitting atop it was someone Regin recognized very easily, the Sin of Sloth, Wilhelm Conrad. "Regin, friend!" He cheered, turning on the hornet yet again much to Mina's and Regin's poor ears. "What are you even doing?!" Conrad smiled. Regin ignored the shards entering his palm, "I-" "It matters not!" Conrad rose a hand, startling even Mina, "Today is the day of the Promised Announcement by the Queen!!" Mina's eyes budged out of her skull and Regin's soul almost exited his body. "AH?!" Regin bellowed, "HUAIOSHUIQOPSOPSHUIQO!" Peaceful and usual day?! Of course Regin was forgetting something, goddamn. "We are to hurry!!" Conrad gestured for Regin to improbably sit on the back of his scooter. However, Regin held his own hand out, his face stern and sharp. "Conrad... first... you gotta' pay..." A yellow aura oozed from his large frame, he seemed to enter a battle position. "PAAAAAAAAAAAY!" "...Alright?" Conrad asked, blinking rapidly. It was then that Regin turned his arm and pointed at the shattered glass and the drink on the ground, "Oh." Regin nodded many times. ---- Step, step, step, hips swayed and feet stepped directly ahead of one another, small bells sounded with each taken. The entire plaza would be filled to the brim with people at this point. Surely. Yet, when he set foot upon the plaza, the only souls there were those of the ones organizing the event. Bells sounded. It was Asha Ariel who first heard the small bells and turned from one of the platforms to face the person that walked in. "Oh, Alex, I was foretold of your presence," She mused, resting her hands over her lap. "SIS, DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE UP HERE!!" A familiar voice shouted from inside one of the platforms. Before Ariel stood none other than the right-hand to Regin, Bellan Alex of the Wrath Brigade. His red eyes bore into Ariel's form, eyes that had dark sclera rather than white, his head was almost completely covered by a dark hood. He bore a open dark cloak and black-white stripped pants. A man that very well could become the next Sin of Wrath. "P-Princess!" One of the nearby guards alarmed, "S-Sir Alex prefers personal space!" Alex snapped his fingers and pointed his index finger at the soldier, "Correct." Then, the same hand opened flat into a palm, "But it is my mistake! Not Miss Ariel's," Alex pointed with a thumb at her. "The mistake is... having come here too early," The guard blinked and Ariel chuckled. "You're always early-" Ariel said, prompting Alex to glance at her, who stiffened. "Worry not, I consider not these traits as bad," She waved with one hand, Alex managed a side smile. The Guard seemed to sigh, "Well, since Sir Alex is here, he can help-" "No," Ariel stated, Alex and the Guard looked at her with tilted heads. "Through my powers, I sensed your arrival and decided a less-demanding task," Noticing both their silences, the Guard's mouth hanging open, Ariel finished, "I request that you gather the members of the Special forces." Raising one eyebrow, the Guard thought, "Hmmm... true, Sir Alex is good at reconaissance and should find them easily. Now, will he accept-" His eyes almost went out of his helmet once they saw Alex already walking away, "HE'S ALREADY GOING!" "Of course," Alex yelled without looking back, "Those bastards are late-" "Again, you're early-" "-Late and need to be disciplined!" Alex said anyway, shrugging as he walked away. ---- A scooter's hornet played in the distance, awaking Ariel and whoever else had been working on the platforms. Ariel was the first to step and jump off it, startling the same person from before, "SIIIIIIS!" It was Asha Samael's voice that roared. "Worry not, Sam," Ariel waved. "I am just receiving more early guests." Samael's legs shuddered from right to left, he held a large object with both his hands, "You leaving me again, whyareyoudoingthis?!" He laughed a bit, shaking his head. Of course, after all, what she had heard was that scooter. The moment Ariel set her eyes on the outside though, she was met with not just Sir Conrad... but Sir Regin on the back of the scooter?! Some guards gasped at the sight and dropped whatever they held. "S-Sins!" Ariel cheered, clapping her hands while blinking quite fast, it was a wonder that the scooter's rear wasn't grazing the soil. "I wasn't f-foretold of this," She eyed Conrad, who simply smiled, "We were trying to finish the plaza for our Queen's presentation." "EMPHASISONTRYING!" Samael shout again. Conrad widened his smile, "Why, I imagined as much." He waited for Regin to leave the scooter before he himself did. "Me and Regin came by to take a look-" "NO!" Regin came in, "You came for that! APOIUDOPQNS, how dare you have a clock marking the wrong time!" He munched on his cloak several times, earning a chuckle from Conrad. Then, Regin sulked, "I could've drunk that nice one..." Conrad patted his arm. Ariel let out a bit of a laughter. "We have just tasked Alex-san with finding the other-" Puru, puru, puru, puru, puru, puru, puru, puru. Ariel blinked, moving her hands across her dress. Quickly, she got ahold of a den den mushi. Kacha, "Mother?" Conrad tilted his head. "The Queen, wasn't she supposed to be in a meeting?" "She is," Ariel beamed. "Where?" "In the docks." Everyone's eyes widened. Tying Kingdoms Asha Muriel felt the ocean breeze come by her hair, skin, and blazer, her hands rested by her hips, her tips tugged upward. At the docks of Kissamos, a relatively simple-looking port, its buildings large and made of stone, one of grey and brown tones. The wooden dock extended all over the beach, though wide, it wasn't that long in the ocean's direction. Shadow cast over her, her alone, an enormous ship stood by the waters, one with the flagship of a very well known country. Dressrosa. Muriel's smile widened, most Kings or Queens would likely arrive with a tremendous amount of escorts or guards, but, she knew better. What better Queen than one to defend herself, or one that could feel what her citizens felt in their skin. The King of Dressrosa, Longinus Judas stepped out on the boat. Although he came with an escort, seeing the Queen of Dressrosa alone ignited his warrior spirit. "Stay back, everyone." His voice echoed on the ship, and all his escorts couldn't help but bow in affirmation to his request. He leaped into the air, arms outstretched like a bird, and performing four somersaults consecutively before landing on the port. In recent years, Judas had a penchant for the extravagant, perhaps because his fear of the former King had been extinguished from his heart finally. As he had approached Muriel, however, a shockwave of incredible strength gripped the atmosphere. Enormous gusts smothered the port of Asha. All subordinates near the King and Queen raised their arms. Was this going to fan the flames of war!? Just what was the King of Dressrosa thinking!? Muriel smirked, moving her hand up and down, as it had gripped Judas' own in a handshake. Flames of war? It was as if these people didn't know their royals better. By simply connecting their hands, they had quaked the very environment, a kingly meeting. "You have grown a lot, boy," Muriel mused, "I gladly welcome ya- you! In Asha," She drew her hand back and opened her arms wide, as to gesture to everything around her. Finally, Muriel gestured for into the city, "How have you been?" "Thank you, Your Highness!" Judas bowed to the woman. Despite ruling the Kingdom of Asha alone, Muriel was a formidable fighter. In fact, by virtue of her Haki alone, Judas assumed that she was of equal strength to his own mother. "I am doing well. Unfortunately, I think we scared our subjects with our little comedy show..." Judas chuckled as he looked around at the puzzled subjects. "In any case, shall we go into the castle to discuss the matters at hand?" "MAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Muriel roared in laughter, eyes closed and mouth wide, fists resting upon her hips after greeting Judas. "Oh, excuse me," She waved a hand at him, "But, I agree, they aren't that used to it, it seems!" Muriel gestured for behind her, "You are correct, we are to discuss now!" Indeed, behind her was what seemed to be some sort of large vehicle. "I can drive us back to my main castle, we can even chat along the way if you so wish to!" She smiled at him and began to walk off, her back facing him. ---- The two sovereigns were seated in a relatively small room for royalty's status. The room was concealed, with none but the royalty's greatest guardians given access to the room's perimeter. "This situation has gotten out of hand...and very quickly." Judas clenched his fist as he spoke to the Queen of Dressrosa. "Not only has the World War X begun to escalate rapidly...the Xros Pirates aren't likely to leave our Kingdoms alone now with the incident on Permis behind us..." His other hand clutched one of his spears, as if he was calming himself. "What can we do, Queen Muriel?" Muriel took a sip from one of the cups positioned on the table, near to the each of them. Once swallowing it, she replied. "I think one of the first things we ought to do is uphold the morale of our kingdoms and look out for anything that might spell trouble. After all, if we let internal problems overtake, when external problems come, we'll be doomed for." Taking a small breath, Muriel sipped the liquid again and set the cup more far away. "Hmmm, while that is most definitely true..." Judas thought to himself, calming down slightly. "Trying to keep an eye on everything will no doubt cause both of us to fall from exhaustion." He began to tap his spear on the ground, almost like a man tapping his finger on the table in thought. "...I believe we might need to reconsider the positions of our armies and gather our strength for a more beneficial cause." Muriel rose both her eyebrows and curved her lips downards. "Wow, you are right..." She nodded, eyeing nowhere as she took in what Judas said. "Our armies branding together, it could prove strange for the individuals, but... we ought to show them our common ideals and camadery!" Muriel moved her fist up. "I know both of our armies have proved enough for... casual invasions." "Yes, our armies branding together would be impressive...but that would only provoke the Xros." Judas thought, standing up. He began to roam around, spinning the spear in his hand. His anxiety was evident through his actions, even if his voice was calm. "Perhaps...No, we must gather all the remaining Kingdoms who haven't been swallowed up by the World Government, and create an independent fighting force that can protect all of our Kingdoms at large." "That said...in order to fund this operation, we might need to force our citizens to meet some increased tax demands and other political repercussions." He continued to spin his spear, faster, and faster. "If Mother was here, she would have taken this decision in a heartbeat...but what do I do..." Muriel snapped her fingers and rose from her chair. "Let me tell you I've taken a bigger liking to you when you asked yourself what you'd do! But... do not compare yourself to Queen Niu! You are King Judas and nobody else, for that, I'll be hearing and taking in the suggestions of King Judas." Setting herself down upon the chair, she straightened her tie. "I agree that joining our armies so publically will raise eyebrows and to increase the tax without a proper explanation- That's it, we need something to properly cover it out. Should we be honest with our citizens or do we formulate something?" Muriel stopped for a second, bringing a hand to her chin. "Being honest in the open may result in other complications..." "We will be honest." Judas spoke, finally putting his spear down. His mind was clear of doubts and he had formulated a plan. Despite his previous hesitations, his stance was clear and there was nothing anyone could say to stop him. "We shall use the Marines to execute this plan for us, Queen Muriel." Judas spoke boldly. His declaration, if heard by the ordinary ears, would have shaken the stance of the world. But between two sovereigns, this sort of discussion would not be heard by anyone else. "If we decide to consolidate our armies, our citizens will not take it likely. A weakness will be exposed from within us and terrorist factions will gain the upper hand." Judas looked towards Muriel directly. "Fleet Admiral Kurama has always noted the divide in the World Government's resources and how that has created openings for Pirates and Revolutionaries to exploit. We will gather the approval of other Kingdoms and take this proposition to him directly." Judas sat down once more, putting his hands together. "Not even the World Nobles would be able to publicly expose the consolidation of the armies of the Earth's Kingdoms...if it is for the sake of fighting the Yonko." "!!!!!" Muriel almost flew from the chair that she had just sat upon once again, she clenched her fists and kept her own expression from going wild. Instead, she clapped several times before Judas. "You spoke it just perfectly, King Judas!" Gesturing with her hands, she noted, "Kurama is much different than those Government workers, if we gather a proper plan and the word of the others, we could surely convince him of the situation!" "We are already affiliated with them by default, Marines working alongside our armies should be nothing to frown at!" This time, Muriel waved at the window of the room, one that had a view to much of the Kingdom around them. "That way both us and Marines aid each other. This is brilliant," She clapped a few times yet again. "Though, we do have to check the other countries, their... agreement or disagreement." "Indeed, it will be difficult." Judas thought to himself. He stood up once again, and spoke his thoughts aloud. "All Kingdoms possess their own pride. Some are willing to form alliances, others wish to express their own strength, others will only join for personal benefit." Judas sulked, "If I was as capable as my Mother, I'd have no doubt she would unify them for a single goal. Despite her methods...there was something about her that was mesmerizing." A distant look was on Judas' face. Solemn memories were revived, but he had to quell them. "Unfortunately, I cannot rely on her on a time like this." Judas looked towards Muriel, suddenly bashful that he lead the conversation so intently. "U-uh...Apologies, my Queen. Was there anything else you wished to add?" Muriel managed a smile. "Difficulty is everywhere, it's how you handle it that makes the difference." Straightening her clothes, namely the suit, once again, she continued speaking. "Don't apologize, King Judas, we all have our own troubles. But, I say it again, don't compare yourself to your mother! Even if your current self has had influences from her, you are you, if hesitating is what you would do for now, hesitate!" Lowering her hands to her hips, Muriel couldn't help but pat Judas' shoulders. "You don't need to find that common goal alone, we can all do it together!" Judas smiled at the words of Muriel. There was always a tone of encouragement in her voice, even during those terrible events that transpired with the former Sin of Wrath. "Thank you, my Queen." Judas bowed again. "Now then. Our first move needs to be contacting the other Kingdoms." Judas thought, "But we have to do so in a way that the World Government nor the Pirates catch on to our movements." Category:Role-Plays Category:DamonDraco Category:Ash9876